UK’s Everything Everywhere launches 4G LTE network

Everything Everywhere today launched its 4G LTE network in the United Kingdom, giving UK shoppers plenty of reasons to buy the new iPad mini, the iPhone 5 and the fourth-generation iPad this holiday season. All these devices feature improved cellular connectivity that supports a wider gamut of LTE frequency bands across the world's carriers.

Apple's web site also lists Everything Everywhere as being compatible with the 4G LTE flavors supported by Apple's late-2012 iOS devices. Go past the fold for plans and pricing information...

Need for Speed: Most Wanted is here, get downloading

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpGS1K9mLPQ

Electronic Arts today in North America released Need for Speed: Most Wanted on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita and Xbox 360 consoles, as well as on Windows PCs and Apple's iOS and Google's Android mobile platforms. The game is available now for seven bucks both over at the App Store and Play Store. Need for Speed: Most Wanted rolls out in Australia on November 1 and in Europe the following day.

A version for Nintendo's new Wii U console is slated to hit North American shores, Europe and Australia some time next year. The game invites you to drive "the world's hottest cars ripping through the open world, screwing with the cops and get away in style". In addition to the above launch trailer, I've also included several nice videos below the fold...

Google matches Apple with 700,000 mobile apps

Because Google's free Android software is available in many shapes, price points and across a variety of carriers and manufacturers, the search giant has relatively easy and early on taken the lead in terms of device activations. But even with its clear lead in terms of unit sales, Android has always lagged behind iOS in terms of quantity of the apps found on its store, dubbed the Google Play Store. Today, Google has announced that its store now carries 700,000 third-party apps, which means that the Play Store has officially matched the App Store in sheer number of apps available...

Fourth-gen iPad orders pushed back one week

Deliveries of orders of the fourth-generation iPad with Retina display have been postponed until one week on the online Apple store. This comes just after shipments of the new iPad mini were delayed two weeks following its arrival to stores last week. Both devices became available for pre-order four days ago. 72 hours later, the initial stock of the 16GB iPad mini was sold out. First, the more popular black model was gone and was quickly followed by iPad mini shortages across the board. Both tablets were introduced at Apple's October 23 media event...

More details regarding Forstall’s ousting emerge

If you've been anywhere near a computer for the past 24 hours, chances are you've heard the news: Scott Forstall, Apple's SVP of iOS Software will be leaving the company next year.

The word is, Forstall was pushed out for a number of reasons, but the tipping point was the recent iOS 6 Maps debacle. And today, even more details have emerged about his ousting...

The ZOpro: a thin iPhone case with built-in charging cable

We all know the scenario. You're away from home, with no charger, and your iPhone just alerted you that its battery is now down to a measly 10%. What do you do?

Well, if you had the new ZOpro case on your iPhone, you could use its integrated charger to breath life back into your handset. But wait, what's a ZOpro case?

Pandora update brings iPhone 5 support and new social features

Heads up Pandora users, the internet streaming company pushed out a significant update to its iOS client last night. The update brings the app to version 4.0, and includes loads of new features and improvements.

The app now supports the iPhone 5's 4-inch display, and it also now offers new social network sharing options. So now you can tell your friends on Facebook and Twitter what song you're jamming out to...

iPad 4th generation benchmark shows 1GB of RAM, 1.4Ghz CPU, blows away predecessors

We think it's safe to say that the upcoming iPad 4th generation release will be a beast of a machine. In fact, the 4th generation iPad more than doubles the overall Geekbench benchmark score of the iPad 2. It also more than doubles the score of the incumbent iPad 3.

Whereas many complained about the iPad 3's relative lack of processing power when compared to the iPad 2 (in some cases, the iPad 2 outperformed the New iPad due to the strain placed on it by the Retina Display), you will not have that problem with the latest iPad iteration.

As Primate Labs points out, some of the first Geekbench scores are beginning to make themselves available online, and it paints a telling picture about the horsepower inside the iPad 4's inconspicuous casing...

WSJ: Scott Forstall was pushed out of Apple for refusing to sign Maps apology

Earlier this evening, Apple announced some major changes to its executive team. John Browett, the head of Apple Retail, will be leaving the company. And more importantly, so will Senior Vice President of iOS Software Scott Forstall.

Browett's departure comes as no surprise, as he's had several missteps in his short time at Apple. But Forstall's exit caught some folks off guard, begging the question: was it his decision? And according to a new report, the answer is no...

First look at the new iPad mini Smart Cover

Although the iPad mini won't start hitting shelves and doorsteps until this Friday, it appears the Cupertino company has decided to go ahead and start shipping the tablet's accessories. Earlier this afternoon, my local FedEx driver dropped off this little guy: a Dark Grey polyurethane iPad mini Smart Cover.

At first glance, the smaller Cover may seem like an exact replica of its larger sibling. But there's one significant difference between the two, and that's the hinges. Instead of using a bare metal hinge, like it does in the full-sized Smart Cover, Apple used a covered hinge in the mini version. So there's no metal on metal...

Maybe Microsoft should hire Forstall?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wwhv8U614Vo

In the hope that this will have an instant meme value, I just came across this nice little clip of somebody demoing saving a document in Microsoft Word Preview on the Surface RT tablet. Go past the break to join the discussion in the comments...

Tim Cook sends email to Apple employees regarding management changes

Earlier today, Apple announced some major changes to its management team. The company's SVP of iOS Software, Scott Forstall, will be leaving next year, as will SVP of Retail John Browett. Other executives, particularly Jony Ive, will be picking up Forstall's responsibilities, and a search is underway for Browett's replacement.

This afternoon, Tim Cook sent an internal email to Apple employees regarding the management changes, and thanked Scott for his many years of service. We've got that email after the break...